Waqas A. Akmal is a member of O’Melveny’s Litigation and White Collar Defense & Corporate Investigations practices. He is a skilled litigator who holds a wealth of experience representing corporations and individual clients in government enforcement actions, internal investigations, and complex commercial litigation matters.
Waqas routinely represents clients facing civil and criminal liability and has helped guide individuals and corporations through sensitive internal investigations and in high-stakes matters before various federal agencies and state attorneys general. He earned recognition in the 2024 and 2025 editions of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch and received the 2019 Humanitarian Award from the ACLU of Southern California.
Outside of his practice, Waqas is an active firm citizen and currently serves as co-chair of the Firmwide Associate and Counsel Advisory Committee and is a member of the Los Angeles Summer Committee.
- Represented a Fortune 100 financial institution in parallel investigations by the DOJ, SEC and other regulators.
- Counseled a Big Four accounting firm in an internal investigation involving a fraudulent audit report.
- Represented a media and entertainment company in an SEC investigation relating to insider trading.
- Defended a global nutrition company in an action brought by the Federal Trade Commission.
- Successfully represented a biotech company in a ten-day JAMS arbitration in a breach of contract action.
- Obtained a trial victory for a large investment management firm in a three-day judicial reference proceeding.
Admissions
Bar Admissions
- California
Education
- University of California at Berkeley, J.D.: Senior Articles Editor, Berkeley Technology Law Journal
- University of Southern California, M.P.A.: Dean’s Certificate of Merit
- University of Southern California, B.A.: History, Political Science; summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa
Honors & Awards
- Recognized by Best Lawyers in America “Ones to Watch” list for Commercial Litigation in Los Angeles, CA (2024-2025)
Professional Activities
Clerkship
- United States Attorney’s Office, Civil Fraud Division, Central District of California
Externship
- The Honorable Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, US District Court, Northern District of California
Publications
- “Lessons From Recent SEC Cyber Enforcement Actions,” Law360 (August 2024)